America Makes to Exhibit at RAPID + TCT 2018

Youngstown, Ohio — April 19, 2018. America Makes proudly announces its participation and exhibition at North America’s preeminent event for discovery, innovation, and networking in 3D manufacturing, RAPID + TCT 2018, to be held next week, April 23-26, 2018, at Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas. Look for America Makes at booth #2439, directly across from the Keynote Theater and SME booth #2339.

At this year’s RAPID + TCT event, attendees can anticipate engaging with more than 6,000 industry peers and 300 exhibiting companies, four keynote addresses, eight workshops, 150+ conference presentations, and two networking receptions. Attendees can also expect the America Makes booth (#2439) to be a hub of activities, including the return of ADX—the Additive Design Experience and the introduction of PULSE, a new interactive program.

“I am personally very excited by the opportunities for engagement and the exchange of information being shared and presented at this year’s RAPID + TCT event,” said Rob Gorham, America Makes Executive Director. “I was fortunate to serve as a 2018 conference advisor and the level of cutting-edge 3D innovation planned for this year’s event is unparalleled. The overall market growth and innovative technological advancements that the additive manufacturing industry as a whole has attained is truly amazing and many of these achievements will be showcased and addressed at RAPID + TCT. Moreover, for America Makes, the RAPID + TCT event continues to be another vehicle for the Institute to do what we do best—engage with the additive manufacturing industry as a convener, coordinator, and catalyzer of people, knowledge, and projects within our industry. We look forward to engaging with RAPID + TCT attendees at booth #2439.”

America Makes will once again showcase ADX—the Additive Design Experience as part of its presence at the event, available within the America Makes booth. America Makes specifically designed ADX, a collaboration between America Makes, The Lanterman Group, FormLabs, and Autodesk, as a way for event attendees to participate in an abridge version of its successful ACADEMI experience.

ACADEMI is an immersive, hands-on, multi-day training experience with advanced additive manufacturing curriculum. Available through America Makes, ACADEMI experiences are application-oriented and developed and taught by best-in-class industry and academic experts.

For RAPID + TCT attendees, ADX will offer a Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) training experience, leveraging leading software and printing hardware, that specifically focuses on lightweighting using design tools. Participation in the ADX is limited. Attendees are encouraged to sign up for available time slots at the America Makes booth.

Additionally, America Makes and The Lanterman Group will also be taking pre-registration for upcoming ACADEMI courses. Stay tuned for more details!

New to America Makes’ annual RAPID + TCT exhibition is PULSE, a new, interactive program designed to further engage with the additive manufacturing community in attendance and make booth #2439 an epicenter of dynamic interaction and collaboration. With PULSE, America Makes, seeks to return to a methodology it employed at its RAPID premiere in 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pa., where it introduced a unique socialization process to garner input and feedback.

With PULSE at RAPID+TCT, America Makes is still engaged—still listening, still exploring, still advancing, and still educating—as it takes the PULSE of the additive manufacturing community. PULSE will feature an interactive experience comprised of three fun and simple activities that will provide America Makes with valuable feedback. Throughout the event, America Makes will also encourage attendees to use the hashtag, #AMPulse. Following the event, America Makes will produce a PULSE report of these activities and will make it available to members.

RAPID + TCT attendees will also have the opportunity to learn the latest on the America Makes Technology and Workforce Roadmaps, how to become a member of the Institute using the @Program, and how to consume data within the Digital Storefront and Insight Report.

America Makes’ presence at RAPID + TCT 2018 also extends to the Keynote Theater. On Wednesday, April 25th, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., America Makes Executive Director Rob Gorham will participate in a panel discussion on the “Current Challenges and Future Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing.” Specifically, Mr. Gorham and the other panelists will address the rise and impact of additive in global industries, including aerospace, defense, automotive, and medical, and how to overcome current challenges to make future opportunities.

Visit America Makes at RAPID + TCT 2018 at booth #2439. For more information about America Makes, visit http://americamakes.us and follow the Institute on Twitter @AmericaMakes.

About America Makes
America Makes is the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. As the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM), America Makes is the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in AM and 3DP technology research, discovery, creation, and innovation. Structured as a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, non-government agencies, and workforce and economic development resources, we are working together to innovate and accelerate AM to increase our nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes is the first Institute within the Manufacturing USA infrastructure and is driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). For more information about America Makes, visit http://americamakes.us and follow @AmericaMakes on Twitter.

About NCDMM
NCDMM delivers innovative and collaborative manufacturing solutions that enhance our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness. NCDMM has extensive knowledge and depth in manufacturing areas—both commercial and defense—to continually innovate, improve, and advance manufacturing technologies and methodologies. Our experienced team specializes in identifying the needs, the players, the technologies, and processes to attain optimal solutions for our customers. We connect the dots. That’s the NCDMM methodology. NCDMM also manages the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP), America Makes—the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. For additional information, visit the NCDMM at http://ncdmm.org/ and follow @NCDMMnews on Twitter.

About RAPID + TCT
For more than 25 years, RAPID + TCT has defined the crucial role of additive manufacturing and empowered the establishment of an industry that continues to conceive, test, improve, and manufacture new products at a faster, more cost-efficient pace. The two industry leaders in 3D technology events, SME and The TCT Group, have teamed up to produce the annual RAPID + TCT event. For users and suppliers alike, the event is the premier destination for those who provide technology and for those who need to understand, explore and adopt 3D printing, additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, CAD/CAE, metrology and inspection technologies. For more information, please visit http://rapid3devent.com.

About SME
SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With more than 85 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training and development, and also through an education foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing. Learn more at http://sme.org, follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or http://facebook.com/SMEmfg.

About Rapid News Publications Ltd & TCT Group
Established in 1992, Rapid News Publications Ltd, the owner of the TCT Group, has been a leading authority in additive manufacturing, 3D printing, design and engineering technology for over 25 years. The group’s events and media products now deliver business-critical insights, intelligence and inspiration across Europe, North America, and Asia on 3D printing, additive manufacturing, CAD/CAM/CAE, metrology, inspection and materials, as well as highlighting the latest developments in conventional manufacturing processes, such as molding, casting, and CNC machining. The TCT Group mission is to accelerate the adoption of technologies that power innovation in the design-to-manufacturing process chain. Enabling companies across the complete spectrum of industry to achieve the goal of world-class design and manufacturing functions within their organisations. The TCT Group (www.thetctgroup.com) is owned by Rapid News Publications Ltd (www.rapidnews.com) a member of the AEO (Association of Event Organisers) and BPA Worldwide.